No one has an excuse for not picking up the first trade edition of Federal Bureau of Physics by Simon Oliver and Robbi Rodriguez. This is not some ornate universe with a massive amount of backstory, nor is it a complex web of technologies and histories intertwining through multiple mediums. It’s a new series set in our world. That alone should make it easily accessible. The only difference – physics has gone haywire.
Those laws of physics which are supposed to be so immutable – yeah, not so much – in Federal Bureau of Physics the world is attempting to come to terms with the new order, which pretty much says there is no order. So the US government has set up a new emergency service called, what else, The Federal Bureau of Physics, aka the FBP. They’re the people who respond to physics related emergencies: time loops, time loss or stretching, wormholes, microcosms, etc. FBP agents enter these events to rescue people and if necessary repair the fabric of reality.
What’s easier to understand that that? Federal Bureau of Physics isn’t a high concept take by Simon Oliver on the nature of the universe. Rather, it’s the story of the people dealing with the fallout of a quite-literal earth shattering event. The agents of the FBP have to handle the daily procedural-aspects of any emergency work, at the same time transverse the commercial-politico aspects of disaster and the conspiracies that arise when others seek to profit from a bad situation. Everyone involved in Oliver’s world has a personal stake in the FBP, and not just because it’s the only thing standing between humanity and the utter dissolution of the universe.
Jay Hardy is the main character, and while the name is misleading, he’s not your typical main character in stories like this. For one, he’s not some corn-fed white boy from Iowa, but a first generation immigrant of Palestinian descent. It makes for a refreshing change. Hardy’s partner is Rosa Reyes, another immigrant, and one who is overcoming her own difficulties due to the unraveling of the laws of the universe. Together they make for an interesting team that isn’t going to always play by the rules, but then why should they or anyone else do so when the rules don’t exist anymore – not even for the Federal Bureau of Physics.
Oliver’s writing is to the point, and helps develop the world with a natural ear for dialogue. His characters never seem out of place, nor do they play to stereotypes. Their motivations are succinct and understandable. Oliver keeps everyone grounded even as the world turns upside down – an aspect that really comes through in Robbi Rodriguez’s art. Over-the-top lines and accentuated figures, not to mention the color scheme make Federal Bureau of Physics stand out. It’s vibrant and visually stunning, it’s a world where space and time blend and humanity is no longer beholden to the straight line. It’s an excellent counter-point to Oliver’s writing. Added to that is the neon pink and yellow cover by Nathan Fox that literally screams at you from the shelf to pick up this book and read it.
And read it, you should. It’s a great introduction to a new series in a world full of possibilities. If you want a police procedural, conspiracy story, or science fiction tale – Federal Bureau of Physics has it all. If it doesn’t, then future issues should since there’s nothing to keep Oliver from going wild – though he has shown remarkable restraint in his introduction, leading me to believe that if he continues to helm this series he’ll steer it not through a well-trodden path, but one of his own choosing. And that should be weird, wacky and interesting without ever seeming out of place. So pick this book up the next time you’re at your local comic book store.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
Review by: Gregory Pellechi
Subscribe to Adventures in SciFi Publishing podcast on: iTunes | Stitcher Radio (Android users) | RSS | Website RSS
Speak Your Mind